By FLAVIOR CHISHALA –
THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has called for stiffer punishment on riotous students in order to bring sanity at higher learning institutions.

. MWANZA

EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza said it was unacceptable for students to stone motorists and disturb the public who, through their taxes, pay for the students’ upkeep.
Reverend Mwanza said it was wrong for students to deviate from the sole purpose of learning and engage in misconduct that affected the learning environment for innocent students.
“The recent events at UNZA and CBU are very unfortunate and we are deeply aggrieved with the level of immaturity by some students who incite others to resort to violence and riotous behaviour every time
there was a problem,” he said.
Rev Mwanza said the closure of the two universities was timely because people needed to find better ways of airing their grievances, although it would be a setback for final year students who were looking toward to completing their studies.
The unruly behaviour would not be tolerated either at home or at a public institution so that people could drive their political agenda.
Rev Mwanza said a delay in receiving students’ allowances should not infuriate students into rioting because even salaries were delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.
“Even in homes, a meal may be delayed and a family may face some financial hardships, but we do not see the same students smashing pots and pans or destroying household items in the home,” he said.
It was wrong to misuse the opportunity of learning and receiving bursaries when many other Zambians desired for such opportunities.
Rev Mwanza appealed to politicians to desist from using institutions of higher learning for partisan politics.
He said if the students wanted to join politics, they should do it outside the campuses and leave the universities for academic purposes.